La Casa De Las Fritas Cubanas – Little Havana, Florida – CLOSED

When I drove by and saw the name La Casa de las Fritas Cubanas (translated means House of the Cuban Frita) I thought it might be the same owners as the New Jersey Frita shop that existed a few years back. I’m not sure if that’s the case cause I never asked.

I walked up to the window which had a few bar stools for seating and ordered their Frita. La Casa de las Fritas Cubanas is housed in the same building as a gas station/car wash. A mish-mash of chairs makes up the seating area on the inside. This place is typical for Little Havana with the kind of “kitchen” set up you might find at the front of any Hispanic supermarket.

I’m mentally prepared for the worst but hoping for the best. She pulls out a container out of the refrigerator with several homemade preformed patties with that classic Frita color, maybe hope was not lost. She throws the dude on her little grill and dices up some onions longwise (never seen julienne cut onions on a Frita before but okay). They’re onions after all so the taste will be there which is all that matters. I was honestly ok until that pack of burger buns (Cuban rolls are a must) came out and from there it was over for me. I remember it in slow motion. She then cut up some lettuce, tomato, topped it with canned potato sticks (this is probably the worst crime of all), 2 slices of cheese and then asked if I wanted mayo on it. I asked that she remove the lettuce and tomato when she asked me about the mayo. I answered “No” to the mayo question by the way.

Mayo? Burger Buns? Canned Potato Sticks? Lettuce? Tomato? I think what makes it all so bad to me is that the Frita patty was actually pretty good. The patty had a very heavy-handed chorizo taste which you don’t find in most Fritas nowadays as smoked paprika now does the job. It pains me to dislike this joint because it had the potential to be something greater. La Casa de las Fritas Cubanas? I think not.

Even if they can’t can’t back up their claims, is not like we are talking about a 5 star restaurant. There are a lot of other places in that area that make fritas cubanas. If after you have tried all of them you’re not satisfied, there’s a Wendy’s located on Calle 8, but I warn you, waiting in line there is a b*tch.